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In December 1992, Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna famously tested a Penske IndyCar at Firebird International Raceway in Arizona.
Senna was considering his options for the future as he was unhappy with the electronic driver aids becoming dominant in F1.
The test was arranged through his friend and fellow Brazilian driver Emerson Fittipaldi, who was already racing for the Penske team.
Driving a year-old Penske PC21, Senna quickly adapted to the car despite it having a manual gearbox and no power steering.
Engineers were stunned when Senna matched Fittipaldi’s competitive lap times after only a few laps of practice on the short track.
Although the test generated massive media buzz, Senna ultimately decided to stay in Formula 1 and signed with McLaren for 1993.
The event remains one of the greatest “what if” moments in motorsport history, showing Senna’s immense talent across different racing disciplines.
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